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Riyadh Terrs in Drive-by Slaying
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Cleopatra



Joined: 28 Jun 2003
Posts: 3657
Location: Tuamago Archipelago

PostPosted: Tue May 25, 2004 1:51 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Oops, sorry - please try again!

Did THAT help?
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Bindair Dundat



Joined: 04 Feb 2003
Posts: 1123

PostPosted: Tue May 25, 2004 1:54 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Paul in Saudi wrote:
On the other hand, blaming GB and TB for somehow causing people to decide to do evil seem very strange to me. I would blame the criminals for criminal activity. But that is just me, I could be wrong.


The question of right and wrong seems to have become a matter of political correctness for many people. The concept of guilt's residing in the guy who pulls the trigger appears to have fallen by the wayside, as though the guy who pulls the trigger is a mere helpless pawn and only what the big boys do carries any weight.

I call that view the politics of disempowerment. Seems like it advocates exactly the opposite of what we want to achieve.

Funny world, ain't it?

BD
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Cleopatra



Joined: 28 Jun 2003
Posts: 3657
Location: Tuamago Archipelago

PostPosted: Tue May 25, 2004 1:57 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Read the replies by me and John, among others. We have said that BOTH the man who pulled the trigger and those who needlessly provided him with the "inspiration" to do so, are to blame. We are not exculpating anybody, we are (well, I am) just saying that crimes like this don't happen in a vacumn.
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Bindair Dundat



Joined: 04 Feb 2003
Posts: 1123

PostPosted: Tue May 25, 2004 1:58 pm    Post subject: Re: The good, the bad and the ugly Reply with quote

johnslat wrote:
Maybe so, but you've got to admit - it's more rhetorically resplendent.


It's not at all bad, Mr. Slat, if we overlook the spelling error (easy enough to do) and the somewhat misplaced prepositional phrase (not so easy, I'm afraid).

BD
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johnslat



Joined: 21 Jan 2003
Posts: 13859
Location: Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA

PostPosted: Tue May 25, 2004 1:59 pm    Post subject: For What It's Worth Reply with quote

Dear Bindair Dundat,

Time to quote those great philosophers: Buffalo Springfield

"I think it's time we stop, children, what's that sound

Everybody look what goin' down

There's battle lines being drawn

And nobody's right, if everybody's wrong . . ."

Regards,
John

P.S. Ah, everybody but ME, that is.

P.P.S.
Yes, that prepositional phrase IS unfortunately placed:

Quote:
Invading a country which posed you no threat on false pretexts . .


May I?
Invading, on false pretexts, a country . . ."
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Bindair Dundat



Joined: 04 Feb 2003
Posts: 1123

PostPosted: Tue May 25, 2004 2:16 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

veiledsentiments wrote:
After living and traveling around the Middle East for the last 20 years I would say that up until this past year, for a western expat, the Middle East was as safe as Japan.


Yo VS,

Admittedly a small, ancillary point, but perhaps worth thinking about in the context of this discussion: Japan was anything but peaceful until the U.S occupied it, restructured its society, and rebuilt its industrial base. Alas, that won't happen in Iraq.

BD,
Always waving the flag
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veiledsentiments



Joined: 20 Feb 2003
Posts: 17644
Location: USA

PostPosted: Tue May 25, 2004 2:22 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hey

Are you guys picking on Cleo here? I'd come to her rescue, but she can take of herself. Smile Goodness me we are such an opinionated bunch of nit-pickers - not me, of course.

Personally I think the politics of this situation is so complex that it seems kind of strange to turn in into a grammar / word choice critique.

Perhaps inevitable from a bunch of language teachers?

VS
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Cleopatra



Joined: 28 Jun 2003
Posts: 3657
Location: Tuamago Archipelago

PostPosted: Tue May 25, 2004 2:25 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

"Inevitable"? I don't think so, VS.

Even in KSA, my life was never quite so sad and empty that I got a kick out of correcting grammar mistakes on the internet.

If it had ever reached such a low, I would have recognised that that was the time to look for another job.
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johnslat



Joined: 21 Jan 2003
Posts: 13859
Location: Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA

PostPosted: Tue May 25, 2004 2:39 pm    Post subject: Stop me before I do it again Reply with quote

Dear Cleopatra,
Embarassed Sorry, couldn't resist. But actually, correcting grammar mistakes WAS a large part of my job in the Kingdom. And once you get into that habit, well, it's hard to stop.
Perhaps we could initiate a GA organization - Grammarians (thanks Bindair) Anonymous.
Then, every time the urge to correct threatened, we could call/e-mail our sponsors and try to stifle the addiction.
Regards,
John


Last edited by johnslat on Tue May 25, 2004 3:58 pm; edited 1 time in total
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veiledsentiments



Joined: 20 Feb 2003
Posts: 17644
Location: USA

PostPosted: Tue May 25, 2004 2:59 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

What's the spiel?

Hi, my name is Veiled and I am a proofreading addict.

It really is quite awful. For those of us who taught mostly writing, it is impossible to kick. I 'harrumph' through the newspaper, websites, advertisements, cereal boxes --- all brimming with errors.

It is actually one of the reasons that I stopped reading most of the general discussion board. So much poor language usage from supposed teachers of the language.

VS
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Bindair Dundat



Joined: 04 Feb 2003
Posts: 1123

PostPosted: Tue May 25, 2004 3:30 pm    Post subject: Re: Stop me before I do it again Reply with quote

Dear Mr. Slat,

johnslat wrote:
Perhaps we could initiate a GA organization - Grammaticians Anonymous.


Shouldn't that be "grammarians"?

johnslat wrote:
Then, every time the urge to correct threatened, we could call/e-mail our sponsors and try to stifle the addiction.


I wouldn't try to stifle anyone, except perhaps that person who wants to eliminate the apostrophe.

Yours,

BD.

P.S. Thx (that's internese for "thanks"; you may add it to your spell-checker) for the Buffalo Springfield quotation. That was certainly a tune for apocalyptic times. Very well-produced, too. Amazing what they did back in those days. Glad to see that you remember when there were songs.
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Mark100



Joined: 05 Feb 2003
Posts: 441

PostPosted: Wed May 26, 2004 9:30 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

For those who have taught writing i thought they would have been aware that there are different genres of writing with internet posting being one of the newer genres i suppose.
I feel as long as meaning is adequately conveyed grammar nit pickers should keep their corrections to their students writing classes.
After all do you correct native speakers when they make grammar mistakes in informal conversations?
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johnslat



Joined: 21 Jan 2003
Posts: 13859
Location: Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA

PostPosted: Wed May 26, 2004 10:14 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Dear Mark100,

Quote:
After all do you correct native speakers when they make grammar mistakes in informal conversations?


Yup - which could help explain why I'm twice divorced and am currently living in a cave in the desert, miles from human contact.
I find I'm still correcting the scorpions and tarantulas, though.
Regards,
John
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Paul in Saudi



Joined: 03 Mar 2003
Posts: 404
Location: Doha, Qatar

PostPosted: Wed May 26, 2004 12:28 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Bindair Dundat wrote:
.

Funny world, ain't it?

BD



No, not as far as I can tell. Not at all.
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johnslat



Joined: 21 Jan 2003
Posts: 13859
Location: Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA

PostPosted: Wed May 26, 2004 12:32 pm    Post subject: Comedy and tragedy Reply with quote

Dear Paul in Saudi,
Well, that may depend on which meaning of "funny" is intended.
Then there's the saying;

"Life is a comedy to one who thinks, a tragedy to one who feels."

So, really, for all of us, it's both.

Regards,
John
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